Portishead – Portishead

A landmark in 90s electronic music, Portishead is the hauntingly powerful second studio album by the English trip-hop pioneers. Released on 29th September 1997, this self-titled record marked a bold evolution from their ground-breaking debut Dummy, pushing deeper into moodier, more cinematic territory.

Departing from the sample-heavy approach that defined their earlier sound, Portishead opted for original compositions painstakingly crafted to feel vintage, yet eerily timeless. The result is a richly textured sonic landscape—gothic, brooding, and unsettlingly intimate. While most of the album features entirely original instrumentation disguised as crate-dug samples, Only You cleverly weaves in fragments from Ken Thorne’s Inspector Clouseau score and The Pharcyde’s “She Said.” The closing track, Western Eyes, adds a layer of mystery by crediting a non-existent sample, further blurring the lines between homage and invention.

Critically acclaimed upon release, Portishead was lauded for its atmospheric depth and emotional intensity. Reviews praised its “trippy,” “deadly” ambiance (Spin), its more “rounded” and introspective lyrics (Q), and the way it solidified the band’s singular voice in modern music. The album reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and cracked the Billboard 200 in the U.S., cementing Portishead’s global influence.

Housed in a sleeve featuring a still from the video for “All Mine,” this vinyl edition is a must-have for fans of genre-defying soundscapes. Whether you’re a long-time devotee or discovering Portishead for the first time, this album remains a mesmerising journey into the darker side of electronic music.

Source: Wikipedia